A total of 10 life imprisonment sentences and 51 years imprisonment were handed out by detectives from Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, in December 2019, to accused prosecuted for sexual-related offences.
According to the unit, a number of cases were received where victims were aged between one and 90 years old. A total of 356 suspects were arrested and 14 accused, with their ages ranging from 26 and 52, were convicted and sentenced.
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Police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala said, “One of the accused, a 34-year-old male was sentenced to six life imprisonment sentences for raping six children aged between eight and 13 at KwaMgayi Reserve in the Sawoti policing area. The accused committed these crimes in 2017 where he would go to his relatives’ homes, rape minors at gunpoint and threaten to kill them.”
According to Gwalal, the accused targeted his relatives and the cases were opened after the neighbour overheard the victims arguing about reporting the ordeal to the elders.
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“The accused was immediately arrested and the docket was sent to the Port Shepstone Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for investigation. During the arrest, the accused was found with a firearm in his possession. He was sentenced to six life imprisonment for rape and five years’ imprisonment for firearm possession by Scottburgh Regional Court,” Gwala added.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula applauded the investigators on ensuring that gender-based violence cases are solved and perpetrators are prosecuted.
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